As the infamous “Dilli ki Sardi” descends, the city’s streets don't just get colder, they get tastier! Forget the high end restaurants of the capital, the true soul of Delhi’s winter lies in the sizzling, steaming, and sweet symphony of its street food. From the velvety froth of Daulat ki Chaat in the foggy lanes of Chandi Chowk to the piping hot comfort of Gajar ka Halwa, and the fiery Nihari, the best street food in Delhi makes for a culinary pilgrimage for the senses. Here’s for you to explore the unmissable street food gems that offer a pocket of warmth and a burst of unforgettable flavours against the chilly backdrop of the capital.
Must-try winter street foods in Delhi
Delhi’s winter food is a celebration of warmth and richness. Here are some of the amazingly good street foods in Delhi that are a must try this cold season!
1. Daulat ki Chaat
This is among the best street foods in Delhi, which is a dessert that literally tastes like a cloud on a plate. A hyper delicate, airy froth that is churned from milk and left to capture the morning dew, this Delhi winter food offers you a unique, melt-in-the-mouth texture. Lightly sweetened and finished with khoya, saffron, and nuts, this is a fleeting winter luxury that vanishes with the morning sun.
2. Gajar ka Halwa
The quintessential Indian winter dessert, gajar ka halwa is prepared from grated red carrots that are slow cooked for hours in pure desi ghee and milk until the moisture vanishes. The delicacy you are then left with is a rich, glossy, and fragrant halwa that is heavily laced with khoya and dry fruits. Served piping hot, it is pure, soul satisfying comfort.
3. Nihari
A legendary Mughlai dish which makes for an extremely good street food in Delhi during the winters, nihari is a slow cooked stew that is prepared from succulent meat. Simmered for hours with a magnificent blend of spices until the meat is fall-of-the-bone tender, this dish is then layered with a red, flavour rich oil. A spicy and hearty winter street food, nihari is traditionally had as a pre-dawn breakfast, best devoured with soft and fluffy khameeri roti.
4. Ram laddoo
Ram laddoo is a vibrant, tangy, and hot snack that cuts through the cold. These are soft, fluffy lentil fritters made from moong dal batter, and deep fried until crisp. Served doused in a spicy green chutney and generously crowned with a heap of fresh, grated radish, this Delhi winter food is a burst of heat and flavour for your senses.
5. Shakarkandi chaat
Shakarkandi chaat brings to you the wholesome and healthy side of Delhi’s winter chaats. This is one of the best street foods in Delhi, prepared from sweet potatoes which are roasted over hot coals until their skin blisters and the flesh turns smoky, sweet and tender. They are then cubed and tossed with a tangy blend of lime juice, black salt, and a special chaat masala, offering a warm, sweet, and sour street delight.
6. Hot jalebi with rabri
A classic pairing that is elevated during the winters, thick, desi ghee-fried jalebis are served with a side of thick and creamy rabri. The contrast between the hot and the crunchy sweet and the cool, dense rabri makes for a heavenly delicacy.
7. Mutton seekh kebabs
The irresistible aroma of spices and charcoal smoke wafts from every corner of the city serving this classic. Minced mutton, meticulously seasoned with secret spices, is skewed and cooked over open charcoal flames until it is smoky, juicy, and charred just right. Best enjoyed fresh, off the grill with mint chutney and thinly sliced onions, this Delhi winter food is a true treat for the senses.
8. Kulhad ka doodh
This makes for a comforting, rustic nightcap. Full cream milk is continuously simmered in large, open cauldrons until it thickens and reduces, giving it a rich, caramel like flavour. Spiced with cardamom, saffron, and nuts, it is served steaming hot in an earthy clay cup, known as kulhad, which lends a unique aroma.
The essential street food hubs in Delhi
To truly taste the soul of winter in the capital, you must bypass the restaurants and dive into the historic lanes where the most authentic, soul warming street food masters are found.
1. Old Delhi
The labyrinth of lanes of Old Delhi, specifically Chandi Chowk and Chawri Bazaar are not just markets, but an unparalleled, sensory overload food journey. The air is thick with the intoxicating aroma of cumin, sizzling ghee, and centuries of culinary traditions. One of the best places to visit in Delhi for street food, this is where you taste the city’s Mughal history and its fiercely authentic soul.
2. Lajpat Nagar
Move to the bustling commercial hubs of New Delhi, and you will find the evolution of street food, heavily influenced by migration and fusion. Lajpat Nagar is the epicentre of this new age street cuisine, particularly the Tibetan-Chinese delight, momo.
3. Sarojini Nagar
For those who believe a cup of tea is incomplete without the perfect fried snack, Sarojini Nagar makes for the best place to visit in Delhi for street food. This area is an institution that is dedicated to the art of deep frying.